


all this and heaven too

by dornish_sphinx



Category: Luna Nera (TV)
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, post-Season 1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:49:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28362690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dornish_sphinx/pseuds/dornish_sphinx
Summary: In the aftermath of the Black Moon, the only thing Tebe wants is to be with Leptis and talk about what happened.
Relationships: Leptis/Tebe (Luna Nera), Petra/Aquileia (Luna Nera)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 1001





	all this and heaven too

**Author's Note:**

> I can’t believe I actually finished it! Since I watched Luna Nera for the first time ages ago I was obsessed over the series and specifically Tebe and Leptis. I needed to write something and I wouldn’t have peace until I did it. This baby has been living on my notes for months and now it's finally ready for the world.  
> I took a few things about Leptis’ past from the book “Le città perdute” by Tiziana Triana (I haven’t read it yet, just some parts because I was curious and my Italian is very basic) but it doesn’t make any difference in the reading.  
> I also included Petra/Aquileia content just because I can and I low-key ship them.  
> The title comes from a Florence + The Machine song because I love this band and in my head the lyrics match this story.  
> Good reading!

Even after their victory, even after Luxor, it wasn't over.

Not only the book was still in enemy hands, now Ade had disappeared. Everybody just wanted to go back home, celebrate and rest, but Tebe couldn't afford that. She knew exactly why Ade ran away and part of it was her fault: she had given the girl hope, and it had been a lie.

All Tebe wanted to do now was to hold Leptis in her arms and never let her go, so no one could hurt her again. She just wanted to talk to her lover and say that she was sorry for treating her in such a cold way during the last few days. There was so much she needed to say, so much she wanted to do. But the witch had a responsibility for her coven and for Antalia's firstborn.

"Leptis" she called, which startled the woman. It broke her heart a little bit to see her fierce lady in such a fragile state. "Persepolis and I are going to look for Ade. You and Janara take the girls back home and make sure it's safe. I promise I will be back soon."

She grabbed the younger woman's hands to soften the request. Tebe hated herself for having to do that right now. Tebe also hated herself for hiding the fact that she wasn't taking Janara with her because she didn't want to overwhelm Leptis with the responsibility of looking after four girls by herself. Even though Luxor had healed Leptis' wounds, there was something in her eyes telling Tebe that she wasn't totally recovered. One more reason why they needed to talk, one more reason to hold her tight and do not let her go.

"Sure" was her only answer. Part of Tebe was disappointed because she really hoped that Leptis would fight over this, that she would demand to go with them or something similar. Once more, the woman mentally cursed the bastards that dared to touch her lover and break her like this.

"Are you sure you are feeling well?"

"Yes, of course. Go find Ade."

Tebe kissed her on the forehead and followed Persepolis towards the horse. If they were lucky Ade would be found quickly and soon the coven would be reunited.

*********

"So, how do you feel?" Leptis asked after a few minutes of silently walking. She wanted to distract the child from thinking about her missing sister — and herself from the bad memories — but she knew eventually they would have to address the subject.

Janara led the group towards the Lost Cities, ready to defend them with her sword drawn. The redhead probably knew there would be no enemies here — the head of the Benandanti had just died, after all — but the woman liked to be prepared for anything. Petra, Aquileia and Segesta were a few steps behind her, talking quietly and occasionally laughing, but still paying attention to their surroundings. At the back of the group, Leptis and Luxor walked side by side, the child focused on the rock she was kicking along the way. It was incredible how nothing seemed to have changed since they discovered the truth about Valente's identity, she looked just the same from hours ago. Still sweet and angry and so young.

"About what?"

"I don't know. Being a girl? Being a witch?"

"It is strange. I always felt different from normal, so I guess it makes sense that I was under a spell this whole time. About being a girl, I still have to get used to my new name."

"It is not that hard, trust me. I'm proud of you. What you did there was amazing" the woman messed Luxor's hair, making them both laugh.

"Thank you. I wouldn't have done that without your help" she said seriously. Leptis smiled back at her, knowing Luxor was not talking only about the arrow she had shot.

"Thank you too. For... You know." She didn't want to mention the deep cuts that would have left scars on her skin, neither the excruciating pain she avoided in the process. And she definitely didn't want to tell her that something had to be wrong, because even though the wounds weren't there anymore, they still hurt somehow. "Will you still practice with me now that you have powers?"

"Of course I will! I'm not a good archer yet."

Leptis put a hand on the girl's shoulder and they fell into silence again. The brunette watched the three young witches again, noticing that Petra and Aquileia had their arms hooked together now. Their conversation sounded more serious and they no longer laughed; Leptis really wished they could just be happy for one day without having to worry about Ade or the Benandanti.

"Why did she leave?" Luxor whispered the question that had been bothering her since the beginning. Fortunately, Leptis already had the answer prepared for that. It wasn’t ideal but would have to work for now.

"Only Ade can tell us the real reason. I think that she has too much going on right now and she just needs time alone to understand it."

"Is it my fault?"

"Absolutely not! I'm sure she still loves you the same. And she is coming back for you."

Luxor just nodded, still not sure about it. A few minutes more and the group arrived at their destiny. They had to enter through the secret passage Persepolis used to sneak out whenever she wanted to meet with her secret boyfriend. Once they got in, Janara started giving commands.

Leptis, Petra and Aquileia were responsible for concealing the passage they had just used and securing the main gates — in case the Benandanti found the Lost Cities and figured out how to use the magic necklaces they had stolen.

Talking to the girls while they worked was a good distraction for the archer, especially because she suspected Petra and Aquileia were developing feelings for each other and they were adorable together. It was good to think about something other than her own pain, or the fact that she desperately needed Tebe to be with her.

Meanwhile, Janara, Luxor and Segesta were inside the house preparing a meal for the group. Almost an hour after their arrival they were having dinner together, with no signs of Tebe, Persepolis or Ade. Leptis realized she wasn't even hungry and felt that her mood wouldn't fit the girls' excitement. All of them had done great things with their powers in the last hours and tomorrow they had more lessons scheduled to explore their abilities. Leptis excused herself and left towards her bedroom. What she really wanted right now was a bath. And a little fire would be good as well. She also wanted Tebe but there was nothing she could do about it.

*********

Ade was nowhere to be found. After almost two hours of searching, Tebe had to convince an almost desperate Persepolis to let go for now. They were not abandoning Ade, they were just giving her time to think. When she felt ready, she would go back to her family. And if she didn't...

Tebe was very concerned about Ade's state of mind and her safety, of course. After all, she was partially responsible for her breakdown. Nevertheless, there was nothing the leader of the coven could do for her right now. Indeed, there was someone else who needed Tebe and could use her help.

When they finally arrived at home — neither of them realized how far they had actually gone until they made their way back — the place was empty. The witch just shrugged it off and went upstairs. Her room was as silent as the rest of the house and Tebe was extra careful to not make a noise while walking inside in order to not disturb Leptis in her sleep. She hadn't slept at all last night due to the pain and it would be a shame to wake her up now.

The place would be completely dark if it wasn't for the flickering flame in the fireplace. Looking closely, the woman noticed something amidst the firewood: the remains of the black vestment the Benandanti made them wear for the execution.

Tebe half-smiled because it was so Leptis. To any witch, the fire was a death penalty. To Leptis, it meant something greater, like a connection forged long before she joined the coven, even before she set her own house in flames. Leptis had been the kind of child who liked to play with fire, she had told Tebe once. ‘I have never been burned’, the woman had announced proudly at the occasion. It also made Tebe's stomach twitch as she remembered that the woman almost was burnt at the stake a few hours ago.

Next thing she noticed was the tub full of water on the other side of the bedroom. And then, finally, the shape of a body lying under the sheets, curled on Tebe's side of the bed.

"Did you find her?" The question startled Tebe. She sat on the edge of the bed and whispered an enchantment to lighten the candles. Now she could see the other woman properly. Leptis looked tired but at least her beautiful face was not bruised anymore.

"No. Tomorrow we will discuss that, you should sleep now." Tebe leaned to kiss her on the cheek.

When she tried to put away, Leptis captured her lips with her own and Tebe didn't try to resist. She cupped her face while the younger woman pulled her closer and forced Tebe to lay down next to her, on the other side of the bed. The kiss went on for a while until the brunette finally let both of them breathe. She rested her head on Tebe's shoulder and let herself be wrapped inside the witch's arms. Tebe kissed the top of her head and tightened the embrace. After years living together, she knew that Leptis craved for physical contact when she felt insecure and right now it wasn't any different.

The silence was comforting but the older woman knew they had to talk. While her hand wandered idly through Leptis' brown hair, she searched the many topics in her head to figure out which one should be the first. Tebe was usually so well articulated in her speeches, she could speak several languages and discuss various subjects, and now the words escaped her completely. The witch took so long that she thought her lover would be already asleep, until Leptis flinched away from Tebe's hand when she touched her back. The movement seemed to take both of them by surprise, and the witch slowly withdrew from the embrace to look at the other woman's face.

"Let me see it?", she asked softly. Tebe had an idea what the problem was.

Leptis nodded, her face still confused and a little bit hurt. She moved just enough to let Tebe open her dress and see her bare back. Even though it wasn't torn like before, her skin wasn't uninjured. Instead of white and smooth, it was reddish and hot. As if the woman had rubbed it too roughly when she washed herself in the tub. There were a few nail scratches here and there, nothing too deep.

"Does it hurt?"

"I didn't mean to...", she said abruptly but then paused and sighed. "How can I be healed and yet feel the same pain I did before?"

"You just need time to adapt to the enchantment. Your body is healed, but your mind doesn't understand that yet. It is completely normal."

She planted a soft kiss on Leptis' back and tied her dress loosely. Sometimes it was dangerously easy to forget that Leptis wasn't like her, she wasn't used to bending nature to her will and shaping reality with simple words. In her human mind, everything was settled and logic, unlike Tebe's books and enchantments.

"Leptis..."

"Tebe, I'm sorry for arguing so much with you." The apology took the woman by surprise again. Tebe wanted to stop her and say she was the one who had to be sorry, but she wasn't quick enough. "And about Luxor escaping, you have to know that I had-"

"Leptis, no. I was wrong to blame you for that. I know you would never... I was worried and angry and... I shouldn't-"

"I just wanted you to know that I told her to accept your advice. I told her to trust you, just like I did. Like I do. And I know you don't care only about the coven, I know you are not selfish, I should have known that. I don't think you are like that."

"I know, I know. I am the one who has to apologize. I didn't have any right to accuse you. I shouldn't have been so rude. I'm sorry. If you had died there, the last thing I... I told you I didn't care..." Tebe wasn’t able to finish the sentence once tears threatened to roll down her cheeks and she felt a lump on throat.

"It's alright. I admit I was being a little bit unbearable." Leptis smiled softly, and for the first time since she had gotten captured, everything was perfect.

"You were not."

"Did you forget I put a sword on your throat?" They laughed and Tebe hugged her lover and kissed the top of her head.

"Fine, you were being a little bit unbearable. But you were right, not about everything. You deserve to participate, you are one of us. Always have been. I can't promise you anything, but I will try to change that."

"Great. I should let the Benandanti kidnap me more often and see what I get from you". Tebe smiled against her own will, failing on her attempt to look outraged. It was too soon to make jokes about the horror Leptis had been through, but at the same time this playfulness was so refreshing. Leptis was finally acting like herself and Tebe wouldn't dare to protest against it. "Also, if I had died there, I wouldn't be thinking about the last thing you told me. I would think about what you said when we first met. And I would know that, during all these years, you loved me deeply because I loved you just the same. That's what really matters."

Tebe felt tears pooling on her eyes and did nothing to hold them back this time. Once again, she felt a rush of gratitude for having this amazing woman, the love of her life, by her side. In response, she took Leptis' hand and kissed her knuckles, looking into her eyes the entire time. Leptis smiled fondly and wiped Tebe’s face with her thumbs.

"Since we are talking about me participating more... Those women who were taken by the Benandanti, I am going to rescue them. Tomorrow." Tebe felt heart stop when she heard that, breaking her line of good thoughts. "I know it is a huge risk, so I am going alone because I don’t want to put anyone else in danger. I owe them this and it is my choice. I need to do this."

Tebe sighed, choosing her next words carefully. The last thing she wanted now was to start a fight. "It is not that I think you are weak, you must know. It is quite the opposite, actually. I know you are the fiercest of us. You would be the first one to risk your life to protect the ones you love — or people you don’t even know — without giving it a thought, as I saw you do multiple times. It is one of the many things I adore about you. And this is what scares me. Antalia was like a sister to me, and I felt deeply when she died. But losing you... This is not something I could bear."

"I know, Tebe. If something were to happen to you, I don't know what would be left of me. Probably less than when you found me. But I know you do what you must do for our family, to keep us safe. So let me do what I must do. Please."

Tebe considered her words, and then leaned to kiss Leptis on her bare shoulder. When she tried to kiss her neck, the younger woman dodged her and forced eye contact again.

"I need you to say it to me."

Leptis was smart enough to know what Tebe was trying to do, and the tactic wouldn't work this time. From the beginning of their relationship, Tebe made a sacred vow to never lie, no matter the circumstances. She could keep information from Leptis, if she had to, but never lie. So when she agreed to respect Leptis's will, her word should be sacred. Would be.

"Yes, my love."

Leptis smiled satisfied. "Now you can continue kissing me."

*********

Leptis was lucky. She could have been burned to death years ago, her life ending in its worst moment and before it even started. Tebe had saved her. She had given Leptis a new life, a new name, a new home, a new family. A new love. Thanks to the witch, she had the chance to enjoy the freedom that had been denied to her brother.

And now it was Leptis' time to give other women the same opportunity. It was just fair. Almost dying again had made her think a lot, and a great part of those thoughts were the victims of the Benandanti's hunt. Those women, who she didn't even know, were locked and probably tortured just like Leptis had been in an attempt to capture the real witches. As far as she knew, they could be dead by now.

Leptis, having no powers herself, was lucky to be a part of the coven. Those women didn't have the same privilege. But they weren't alone. And if the archer had to die trying to save them, it would be better than doing nothing.

So, on the next day, Leptis woke up early and left her bedroom — and Tebe — to get ready for her solo mission. Everybody was asleep, which made it easier to prepare her horse, arch and arrows. Everything was going according to the plan until she heard footsteps.

"Tebe..."

"I am not here to stop you, Leptis. You are going to rescue them, but not alone", she said from where she was, on the back of her own horse, handing Leptis her sword.

The woman watched the witch fondly, once again wondering which superior forces had put such an incredible creature on her path. Back on her early years, she used to believe only in the things she could see, touch, feel or hear. Tebe brought magic to her life, or as her brother would have said, Tebe made her understand God. What else could explain a love so overwhelming?

"Thank you. It means a lot to me."

"I will fight any battle with you. Now, let's fight, shall we?"

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. I would love to receive some feedback :)


End file.
